One Rumor Too Many
by this is london calling
Summary: The Pretty Committee is now a legacy. A decade after Massie Block and her fashionable crew ruled the halls of Briarwood Octavian Country Day School, the clique that has replaced them is now more respected and feared than ever. There was always envy in the air, but no one thought the pretty little lies would go this far.
1. Intro

Welcome to a new year at **Briarwood Octavian Country Day School. **The Pretty Committee is now a legacy. It's been a decade since Massie Block and her stylish followers ruled the halls of BOCD, and a new clique has arrived to take their place. They might have some seriously huge Prada shoes to fill, but don't think that the drama will simmer down because TPC has graduated. If anything, it'll fire up again.

* * *

Enter **Cass and Co., **the clique that most can only dream of being welcomed into. The parties, the inside jokes, the elite status, the designer luxuries, being on the other side of the gossip. Those things only happened in fairy tales…until now. Glares of jealousy are fired their way because they are perfection in its loveliest form. No one ever questioned their power. But this year, the intense drama shows that there could be trouble in paradise. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to place your bets on how long these girls can stay on top, or how long they can even take the heat.

**the untouchable alpha**

She glides smoothly into the room with five equally flawless girls behind her. Instantly, envious eyes are all on _her. _Quickly, she glances at her iPhone, which doubles as a compact mirror. Her caramel-colored skin shines with light makeup, letting her Brazilian confidence speak for itself. As she blinks, she knows nearly everyone is watching her teal eyes, with their hint of gold, flutter, along with her thick lashes. She rakes a manicured hand through her loosely curled, light brown hair, even though she knows it's already styled to glossy perfection. Although her knowing smile is only slight, the deep dimples appear. Slipping the phone into her Chanel purse, she tells the girls it's time to move on with a subtle flick of her jasmine-scented wrist. They stalk off, leaving a sweet trail of perfume scents in their wake. Onlookers stare after the girl, wishing they knew what she was like around her inner circle. They'd know she's sweet, witty, loves to have a laugh, and even has a bit of sass. But all they know is that she's **Cassandra Avery Thomas, **the girl everyone wants to be.

**the carefree flirt**

With a coy smile, she supplies a witty comeback to her best friend. They're the perfect team. Looks are opposite yet equally beautiful. With her long, effortlessly curled hair - beach blond and dyed blue at the ends - alert gray-blue eyes, and sun-kissed skin thanks to her Italian, Dutch, and Creole heritage, she definitely knows how to charm her way to what she wants. If she's not living in the moment, she's not living at all. High-energy is what she's here to bring. And there's no way she will _ever _stop flirting around. Being the beta of Cass and Co., she's usually the first to know all the latest gossip, and being so talkative, you'd think she'd spill all. But her lips are sealed. The girls in Cassandra's inner circle see a fun second-in-command who's just a tad flirtier than the norm. If not…you see nothing but a serial dater. Don't voice your opinion if it's negative, because who knows who these girls can destroy (socially) next? Luckily, the student body at BOCD seems to live by this unspoken rule, just because she's **Ashton Julia Bentley, **the fun flirt that no one questions.

**the strong rebel**

One prominent factor in Cass and Co.'s total control of BOCD? _Her. _She stands solidly behind Cassandra and Ashton, with her ghostly pale arms folded across her chest. Her choppy black hair shines a deep purple in the sun, possibly making her appear even more intimidating. Gray eyes flit around, looking for the one LBR who's in the wrong place at the wrong time so she can fire off a hurtful insult. Only the truly brave souls at BOCD question her authority, and that never turns out well. She seems to enjoy doing the total opposite of what adults tell her to do. This girl can easily find a way to bend the rules and have things work out perfectly for the inner circle. Sometimes, the minute her icy cold voice is heard, there's that instinct to flee. They look at her piercings and that heartless expression and wonder what must have happened to make her this way. The funny thing is, there are only five girls who know exactly how she feels inside. Regardless, the BOCD crowd has learned not to mess with **Regan Angelica Rose, **the girl you can't help but be afraid of.

**the feisty gossip**

Jetting around right behind Regan, she smiles to herself. Totally protected - no one can stop her from informing the BOCD population of all the latest news. Some describe her as "the quickfire." It's like a chain reaction: Cassandra catches the gossip. She hands it over to Ash, who lets Regan know. And after Regan knows, it's her turn to tell. They look at her and know exactly when something big has happened. Her looks give it away. Of course, they see her wavy auburn hair that falls to her shoulders, vivid green eyes, and tanned skin every day. It's when a smirk plays on her lips and her thumbs are poised over her phone that your stomach just drops. Because you know that at any moment, she could be talking about _you. _Her spunky nature renders her unable to keep quiet, and when the inner circle calls, she supplies them with their juicy fill. As an elegant musician and a queen when it comes to business, getting things done is her role, and she plays the part rather well. It's not so easy to trust **Victoria Sirietta Wood, **the girl who simply won't keep a secret.

**the athletic perfectionist**

She doesn't know what more she could possibly want. Perfect deep brown curls that reach her collarbones. Narrow, icy blue eyes framed by dark lashes. Tall, toned, even the smooth porcelain-white skin that most girls can only wish for. Her friends freak out about the guys, the grades, the clothes, and the swirling drama – in other words, the daily stresses at BOCD. But she's different. She prides herself on being the calm and mature one; the rock to lean on when their entire world is crashing down. The inner circle turns to her for advice as she's wise beyond her years, something that never fails to make her smile. She loves knowing that everyone will be eying _her _at swim meets as she cuts through the water like a knife through butter. Yet she craves something more. When you're constantly being compared to someone, great isn't good enough. Pretty good? Far from it. Almost? Um, no. And okay? You must be joking. It may be hard to understand, but you'd get it if you were **Zyrene Anne Wilson, **the girl who's always striving for perfection.

**the middle-class lovely**

Sometimes, she just takes a second to wonder how the heck she got here. Sure, her hair is pure chestnut brown, with striking bangs as an added bonus. Her eyes are a clear teal. Her features are dainty, the fair skin is soft, and her makeup is minimal and classy. Pretty, but nothing comparable to Cassandra or Ashton. She's sweet and artsy, but she's totally lost. Why has she suddenly been accepted as the sixth member of the inner circle? She knows that she's been labeled as a permanent addition, but also that they want something from her. They might have uncovered some of her secrets, but they still haven't discovered the biggest truth of them all. Behind this kind demeanor, she's manipulative. She had to claw her way up the social ladder to get here, and the past isn't too pretty. But let's face it, how would a plain artist from a middle-class family ever be welcomed to the fold without telling a few little white lies? For now, though, she's enjoying the ride. **Hadley Alice Hart, **the girl with a layered past, is too confused to do anything else.

* * *

Enter **The Infamous, **an unofficial social ranking at BOCD where all of the inner circles' rivals plot their downfall. Where LBRs either rebel against this ridiculous social hierarchy or try to make a good name for themselves. Where the newbies attempt to find their way and stand out from the status quo. One thing's for sure – in this group, gossip flies out of whispered conversations faster than Zyrene Wilson can swim. The notorious, the imposing, the envied, the despised…they all stand here.

**Tiffany Wright,** the competitive princess.** Charlotte Carlton,** the preppy beta. **Lexi Davis,** the envied tomboy. **Eva Clark,** the determined ballerina. **Adelaide Emerson,** the dramatic know-all. Five girls who are all vying for the inner circle's spot at the top. And this year, they might just get their chance in the spotlight after rumors destroy nearly _everything_ for Cassandra and the girls.

**Raven St. Clair,** the newest HART. **Bridget Weber,** the sweet somebody. **Elizabeth Montgomery,** the band nerd. **Jackson Andrews,** the comedic relief. The secondary circle of The Infamous. They might be a slightly quirky bunch, but with Raven's leadership, by next semester, boy-girl cliques will be on top. Can these B-listers knock down Tiffany Wright and maybe, just _maybe_, even the _inner circle?_

* * *

Enter **The Guys, **a social title that isn't hard to understand at all. These five are the most attractive, the most athletic, and the most respected males at BOCD. If drama is gold, then romance must be silver at this school. We all know that this charming quintet has no trouble picking up the ladies. But have we forgotten? There are SIX girls included in the inner circle. Either one of the elites will be left single, or The Guys will branch out when it comes to love this year…what will it be, boys?

**Chance Astor,** the golden jock. **Dean Hastings,** the rebellious player. **Ethan Baxter,** the thoughtful romantic. **Tommy Smith,** the quiet bad boy. **Ben Reed,** the hilarious best friend. The five boys who will have to make the decision all on their own.

* * *

Enter **The Inspiration, **the most mature alphas BOCD has to offer. Recently remodeled as a sixth to twelfth grade academy, the school has not only added more academic levels but more social tiers as well. These upperclassmen are the cream of the crop and are always on the move, looking for the clique that will one day take their place. They've learned from their social mistakes, but one thing age will never shake off is the drama.

**Talia Cross,** the confident diva. **Kendall Russo,** the independent beauty. **Lux Johnson,** the intriguing protector. **Barbie Andrews,** the fashion queen. Three black-haired lovelies and a sole brunette alpha. The ones who get the most respect at BOCD. Their coveted social spot is the most sought after at the school, and if they don't approve, no one else does.

**Looks like this year is shaping up to be intense. Welcome to Westchester, ladies and gents.**

* * *

**Okay, so that's the intro! I hope all the character creators found their way here! Feedback and suggestions for this story are mucho appreciated! Favorite characters/ships, anyone? (;  
**

**Review?  
**

**Marie xx  
**


	2. New Year, New Secrets

**Sorry for the semi-long wait! Just a heads up: I've done some adjusting, and for content purposes I've decided to change the age of the main clique to ninth graders. In the story, they'll be starting their first year of high school. So if your character is part of the main clique, or is a character with the same age, they've been bumped up to ninth grade. The Inspiration (aka the older popular girls) are now juniors in high school, with the exception of Talia Cross, who is a senior. I hope no one minds!**

**lawl, long author's note. Without further ado, chapter uno! Enjoy xx**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm only doing one of these. I don't own the clique, any original characters besides Ashton Bentley, and I don't own anything else used in this story that's copyrighted or trademarked. Just Ash and the plot guise (:  
**

* * *

**NEW YEAR, NEW SECRETS**

Under the old oak tree, where fall foilage of scarlet, amber, gold, and mint hues sprinkled the ground like confetti on a cupcake, no one dared to sit down and gossip. Because everyone - _everyone _- knew that this spot under the aged oak was reserved.

Cassandra Thomas brushed her loosely curled light brown hair over her shoulder. She scanned the spacious green lawns surrounding Briarwood Octavian Country Day School with her sea green eyes, blinking back the hint of gold in them. At long last, seeing that she was alone with her inner circle, she smiled knowingly, showing off her dimples, and then turned away from the general public and towards the most immaculate Briarwood had to offer.

Ashton Bentley, her beta, was admiring her latest manicure; a neon blue that matched the color she'd decided to dye her beach blond ends. Regan Rose's pale silver eyes roamed lazily around the front courtyard, but when they latched onto a social lowlife, she sent them a withering glare. Victoria Wood clutched her iPhone in one hand while her vibrant green eyes sparkled with fresh end-of-summer gossip. Zyrene Wilson was busy labeling notebooks and folders for their morning classes; her enviable dark brown curls masking the expression on her face.

And Hadley Hart was late.

As usual.

Things had been this way since sixth grade. For for three years and counting, the five currently included in their secretive fold had been the perfect blend of spice and everything not-so-nice. And in the middle of eighth grade, Hadley had been welcomed aboard to add the necessary sugar. Now here they were, freshmen in high school. Still on top, with Cassandra on the highest pedestal.

Nothing had changed.

Cass's eyes fell on Victoria again, and she smirked. The resident gossip girl of BOCD, she was always bursting to spill the latest rumors. "Okay, since we all know Vic is about to explode over here," Cass began playfully, breaking the silence. She turned to Victoria. "Talk to me."

Victoria pulled her auburn waves up into a ponytail, then shook them out again impatiently. "I need everyone here first, and Hadley's MIA," she replied with a trace of annoyance.

Zyrene looked up from her school supplies. "Speak of the devil." She smiled gently.

Everyone turned around and followed the gaze of Zyrene's ice blue eyes to Hadley Hart, the newest member of the inner circle. When Cassandra had first noticed her last year, she'd secretly thought Hadley had no alpha potential whatsoever, because her look was just so girl-next-door compared to the other girls. She definitely had the sweet personality to match.

As soon as Cass had taken Hadley under her wing, though, she learned that there was a lot more to this "girl-next-door" than meets the eye, especially in the personality department. Still, all the girls agreed that Hadley's new preppy style was much more fashion-forward than her overly sweet blouses and hair bows.

On the first day of school, she was definitely pulling all the stops. A crisp white tunic, dark wash skinny jeans, and gold ballet flats. What really pulled the outfit together were the accessories. A chunky gold necklace and earrings that looked like amber pearls, to match the flats, a navy blazer, and a matching midnight blue headband to top it off. Hadley not only smiled with her mouth, but with her teal eyes, at her friends, who were nodding in approval.

"Hey, cute shoes," Ashton noted. Ash usually greeted her besties with a compliment, as demonstrated there. "Where'd you get them?"

"Um, my dad got them for me as a birthday present," Hadley explained, twirling a lock of chestnut brown hair around a French-tipped finger. There was no way she was admitting to the fashion icons of the school that the flats were from Forever 21.

Ashton nodded like she believed her, but shot a knowing look at Cassandra with her gray-blue eyes as soon as Hadley glanced elsewhere.

Regan groaned impatiently. "God, Vic, what do you need to tell us?" she demanded. With her choppy black tresses, clothing revealing her piercings, and that stone cold glare, no one kept Regan Rose waiting, not even a fellow inner circle member.

After Hadley sat down under the oak tree next to Zyrene, Victoria tossed back her hair and cleared her throat. "Well, I'll start off with the most exciting news. Over the summer I received a text from Talia Cross - "

"Shut _up._" The gold in Cass's eyes glinted with disbelief. She quickly unlocked her own iPhone and scrolled through a list of messages. "Why would she text you and not _me?_" she wondered after coming up empty and locking the phone.

Ashton, Regan, Zyrene, and Hadley shrugged to inform Cass that they had also missed out on the message.

If Cassandra Thomas was the princess of Briarwood Octavian Country Day, then Talia Cross was the uncontested queen. She, along with her betas - Kendall Russo, Lux Johnson, and Barbie Andrews - were the epitome of perfect upperclassmen. While Kendall, Lux, and Barbie were all beautiful and black-haired, it was only natural for Talia and her lengthy golden brown locks to stand out as alpha. Everyone who was anyone gave Talia and her crew the utmost respect - just one hazel-eyed stare from her could silence even Cass and the inner circle. You could expect to always see her shopping at the high-end stores of Westchester, and Talia was the guest of honor at every social scene. Sadly, the queen of Briarwood was beginning her senior year today. Even though the rest of her friends had two good years left at BOCD, they were already looking for the next clique to take over for them. Cassandra's circle was at the top of that list.

But it was _nawt _good news for Cass's social life if Victoria was taking over as alpha in Talia's eyes.

"Relax, it was while you were in Rio," Vic said, filling Cassandra with relief. "Obviously Talia Cross is smart enough to know that I'm the gossip around here, so I was clearly the second choice to keep her secret until the first day of school. But now that it's here, I'm going to share the news with all of you."

In seconds Victoria forwarded the text to the other five girls. Their phones buzzed simultaneously.

Cass unlocked her phone again with anticipation, well aware that every wannabe in the courtyard was firing looks of jealousy their way, wishing they'd also received the forward. Too bad they would never get on the inside. It had happened to Hadley, they could protest, but that in itself was a miracle.

"No WAY," Ashton shouted with delight; she'd apparently read the message first. At this Cassandra literally punched the messages icon on her home screen. This had to be _big._

"Keep your voice _down,_" Regan hissed. Although they were alone under the oak, Regan, like Victoria, knew the importance of keeping Talia's announcement running along the lines of the A-list only. There were outsiders all around, and without proper volume control, nearly anything the girls said could fall into the wrong hands.

Finally, Cassandra tapped her new message. She sped-read the words Talia herself had typed in, and with every character her eyes passed over, the more excited she became.

**TALIA: To all members of the A-list - as you know, this will be my last year at BOCD. Let's go out with a bang, shall we? I've decided to have not only THE party of the year, but MORE THAN ONE party of the year. First, the Masquerade Ball will be going down Halloween night. Next, my New Year's bash will be on December 31...and this one is esp for those of you who party hard ;) My annual End-of-Year blowout is still happening as planned at my family's Westchester private pool/cabana. And coming up very soon is the Kickoff party, Saturday night following our first week back. What better way to head back to class? You'd better be at each one so I remember good things about you, lovelies. xx**

Each girl looked up from their phone screen at the same time, eyes glittering happily. Zyrene, however, was still digging through her oversized - and overpacked - Kate Spade tote for her Droid. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration because she didn't want to miss out.

"Oh, screw it." Victoria shoved her iPhone in front of Zyrene's face so she could read the text at last. "You really need to organize that thing, Zy, like you do with everything else."

But Zyrene didn't answer. Her icy eyes were glued to the screen. When she finally glanced around at the other girls, she looked thrilled. "Okay, Talia just made sure that this year is going to be the best _evv._" She grinned.

"Yeah, I bet the LBRs who weren't invited wish they could say the same thing." Ashton smirked, stealing the LBR line (Loser Beyond Repair) from the legendary Massie Block, who in her days at BOCD had been the ringleader of a famous clique just like theirs, the Pretty Committee.

"The LBRs who weren't invited don't even know about the parties," Cass pointed out with glee. Of course, absolutely _everyone, _regardless of social status, knew about Talia's End-of-Year blowout that always happened at the Westchester cabanas. But now, the outsiders were going to be missing invites from _four parties, _three of which were an insider secret.

Until afterwards, anyway. Then they'd brag about their attendance any chance they got.

Hadley slipped her Pantech (which she was desperate to ditch for a better model) back into her vintage Coach and smiled. Less than a year ago, attending these parties wouldn't have been an option for her. Now, the pressure of being socially accepted had been lifted like a private jet. As long as she stuck with Cassandra.

"I wonder which party will be the best," she wondered aloud.

"Knowing Talia, we won't be able to decide," Regan said dismissively. There would be plenty of time to talk about the events in full detail later. "Now can we skip ahead to the social network stuff? I've been offline the entire weekend hanging out with some _family._" She said "family" like one might say "vomit."

Cass smiled to herself at the Regan she knew and loved. The girl couldn't stand being out of the loop for more than twenty minutes.

At this point Victoria switched over to her HTC Status. On this phone it was much easier to check her Facebook wall. "Um, not much to report, really," the gossip admitted. "Except for a few dramatic unfriendings I already told you about, and a handful of disgustingly revealing pitures posted by Charlotte Carlton." Vic grimaced. "But what else is new? This stuff happens every week."

Regan nodded, obviously unsatisfied with the haul.

"Tiffany is probably going for your spot as alpha again," Ashton told Cassandra with a toss of her blond-and-blue hair.

"Probably? More like _definitely._" Zyrene flipped through her new World History textbook, uninterested in the same old news about the inner circle's most prominent rival.

Cass pulled her lip gloss out of the soft pink Chanel purse she carried with her at all times. Dabbing the gloss on her already shiny lips, she smirked, unimpressed with the threat of Tiffany. "That girl has been trying to replace us since _sixth grade, _Ash. What makes you think this year will be any different?"

It was true. Tiffany Wright, the bratty brunette who was Cassandra's biggest competition, would never stop attempting to be the alpha of BOCD, it seemed. She obviously thought she was entitled to receiving every party invite, getting the perfect grades without doing any work, and snagging the hottest guys in the school no matter who else was bringing their A-game. The worst part was that the rest of Tiffany's clique was as evil as their leader. Charlotte Carlton (the beta who loved to post pictures on Facebook for the guys to admire) was the most manipulative out of the minions, closely followed by Lexi Davis, Eva Clark, and Adelaide Emerson - the tomboy, the dancer, and the dramatic, respectively.

The bright side to Tiffany's persistence was that it consistently failed. No matter what, her circle could never rise up to be the prettiest and most popular at Briarwood if they were against Cass. It was a well-known fact that left Tiff feeling bluer than her new hair streak.

"Um, I don't really know," Ashton admitted, zipping and unzipping her lavender Coach cross-body nervously. "But seriously, we're in high school now. Don't you think Tiffany would rather be on top of freshman year than bossing around some sixth graders?"

"Yes," Zyrene coughed.

Cassandra stiffened. Knowing that ruling middle school had been so important to her in the past made her feel weak now. Almost weaker than Tiffany, who suddenly had the upper hand in their battle for the elite spot. Right then, she vowed to herself that this year, she'd be a much more mature alpha. How else would she be able to impress Talia?

Thankfully, at that moment Victoria chose to pop the awkward bubble. "By the way, I have one last announcement."

Regan sat up straighter, probably hoping it was something off Twitter that she missed over the weekend.

Vic's emerald eyes were suddenly focused. "There's a new girl coming to Briarwood."

Regan slunk back down again and picked at her dark purple nail polish, which matched the color of her hair in the sun. But Hadley leaned in with interest.

"Name?" she wanted to know.

"Raven St. Clair," Victoria tossed out. Cassandra had to hand it to her, she really knew her stuff. Now there were two questions on her mind.

"First. Where from, and why did she transfer to Briarwood?"

"Transfered from Virginia. She's a gymnast, apparently, and she can receive better training here in Westchester."

Ashton paled at the mention of gymnastics, a sport she also participated in. If this new girl was half as good as Ash, she'd be giving the blond beta a run for her money.

Cass hurried on so Ashton could forget about this new competition as quickly as possible. "Okay, second. Does she have alpha potential?" Her heart thudded in her ears while she waited for Victoria to answer.

"Not sure as of now. But if my sources are correct, and they always are, Raven is going to be studying Honors classes with Zyrene this year. So she can find out for us."

At the mention of her name, Zy tucked a dark brown curl behind her ear shyly. "I'll do my best," she promised. "But I can already tell you, Cass, there's nothing for us to worry about. We are the most talented girls at Briarwood. We are the prettiest girls at Briarwood. We are the smartest girls at Briarwood. And we are the most popular girls at Briarwood."

"And we always will be," Hadley said proudly, finger-fluffing her soft brown bangs.

With a new confidence, Cass hooked her Chanel purse over one shoulder. "Okay, Zy, you convinced me. As long as Tiffany or Raven or whoever lose out on the guys, I'm cool with anything." Cassandra always liked to have her pick of boys she wanted to date. Luckily for her, the boys at BOCD felt the same way. They each fell in love with a new member of the inner circle every year. Cass was usually at the top of the crush list.

"Speaking of the guys..." Regan looked over her shoulder. Aside from the usual crowd of jealous onlookers, she spotted a blur of Ralph Lauren polos, motorcycle jackets, and Nike sneakers approaching the oak tree. The scent of mingling colognes hung in the air.

"They're on the move." Zyrene followed Regan's gaze, biting her glossed lip in anticipation of the flirting that was to come.

With impeccable speed, Ashton reglossed a final time, zipped her cross-body, collected her textbooks, and got to her feet. "First period starts in ten, which secures me at least five minutes of uninterrupted time with the guys," she muttered to herself. The other girls giggled to themselves over Ash's usual preparation.

Cassandra grabbed her iPhone and books, taking a cue from Ash to stand up. "Girls, we _literally _have sixty seconds to rate. On your feet!" Regan, Victoria, Zyrene, and Hadley stood up at once.

As the LBRs stared longingly, most likely daydreaming about the moment when they would finally be included in the rating ceremony, Cass dialed up her inner Massie Block and began. "I'll go first." Outfit rating was a tradition passed down directly from the Pretty Committee to the A-list of today.

The alpha of the inner circle spun slowly once, letting her clique take in the first-day outfit of choice. A soft pink crop top that read LOVE IS LOUDER in bold letters, with a neon pink camisole underneath. White lace shorts, the summer trend that she wanted to keep alive, showed off her long legs. Black wedges set off the otherwise light and airy ensemble. Her face was brushed with gorgeous light makeup, and the wristful of bracelets and dangling pearl earrings vetoed the need for hair accessories. The dark golden tresses were simply curled, ensuring that this perfect outfit was all class.

"9.8," Ashton decided. "You look amazing today!"

"9.8," Regan and Victoria agreed.

"9.9," Zyrene announced with a smile. "The soft look is gorgeous on you, you should wear it more often."

"I'm actually going to say 10." Hadley beamed. "I _adore_ this outfit!"

Cassandra grinned, pleased with her ratings. "Okay, Ash, your turn."

Ashton also spun in a circle, then waited while her friends evaluated her royal blue one-sleeve top, frayed denim shorts, and gray Sperrys. Her beachy blond curls were wild and free, the neon blue dye at the ends a flirty and bright addition. Ash always wore lip gloss, but today she was extremely heavy on the black eyeliner; a sort of "pretty and reckless" decision. It was definitely a risky choice, but...

"9.7," Cass told her beta. "You took a risk and it paid off."

"The eyeliner looks great. 9.7," Regan said.

"9.8. I'm loving all this blue on you, it's really pretty." Victoria smiled.

"Um...9.6," Zyrene said, looking slightly apologetic. In all fairness, Ashton's outfit wasn't really Zy's style. "Love the Sperrys, though."

"9.8," Hadley agreed with Victoria.

Ash stepped back, satisfied, and Regan began to spin slowly without even announcing she was taking her turn. It was a sign of respect for the rebel of the group that Vic, Zyrene, and Hadley didn't interfere.

Regan was wearing a black tank top, which was covered by a plum-colored sheath wrap jacket. Skinny black leggings and mauve pumps completed the look. Her purple nails went right along with the wrap and the pumps, whereas her edgy hair - dyed black but appearing purple in the sunlight - could've gone either way. Her piercings were on display as usual. It was one of Regan's classics, but the thought put into the colors really made all the difference.

"9.7," Cassandra said. "Nice color choices."

"9.7," Ash told Regan, probably for the same reasons as Cass.

"9.6," Victoria announced without shame. "The outfit looks great on you, but it's really similar to some other pieces you've worn in the past..."

"9.8," Zyrene said. Regan brightened. "It is a classic for you, but that wrap jacket...and the pumps...I just really adore those. Nice job."

Hadley was the last to give her rating. "I'll agree with Zy and say 9.8. I seriously need to get those pumps."

With the final rating, Regan smiled slightly. The last two girls had really given her a confidence boost. "Now I'll go," Victoria decided, walking into the middle of the circle.

Today Victoria was dressed in a cream sundress paired with amber wedges. It was extremely simple and elegant, but the accessories brought everything to life. Leopard print bangles snaked up Vic's tan arms, and a pretty gold chain with a heart dangling on the end hung from her neck. She carried a shimmery golden clutch housing her two phones, which matched the eye shadow glittering around her brilliant bright greens. Her nails were painted a deep brown that only she could rock. At the last minute she'd twisted up her auburn curls into a classy updo. It was one of her best outfits ever.

"Wow, Vic, you've really outdone yourself. 9.8!" Cass announced.

"9.9. Gawd, you look gorgeous." Ashton looked pleasantly surprised. Not that Vic wasn't always looking fabulous, but this outfit was stunning.

"10," Regan said firmly. It was the second 10 she'd ever given. The first was to Cassandra.

"9.9, I think it's one of your best," Zyrene told Victoria gently.

"10. I think it _is _your best," Hadley said.

Victoria looked absolutely thrilled as she stepped back, while Cass tried not to look pissed. Someone had been rated better than her, for the first time ever.

Next Zyrene waited to be scored. She wore a silver halter top accented with bright yellow and skinny dark wash capris. Silver gladiator sandals adorned her feet. The yellow and silver Kate Spade tote was a nice touch. Zyrene wore less make up than the rest of the girls, but her beautiful dark brown curls made up for it. Her pale blue eyes sparkled as she herself admired the finishing touch, a silver charm bracelet. As always, she looked extremely pretty.

"Hm. 9.7," Cass said after a little thinking. She noticed how the silver and yellow complemented Zy's porcelain skin, but the lack of makeup was an instant deduction.

"9.8, you look really good in yellow and metallics. Just wear a little more gloss next time." Ashton continued on with the ratings, voicing Cassandra's exact thoughts as she often did.

Zyrene nodded, and Regan agreed with Cass, rating her a 9.7.

"9.5, mascara is _essential _to accent your gorgeous eyes," Victoria said critically.

"9.9," Hadley said, giving Zyrene the highest score. Hadley often handed out the highest rating for each girl, seeing as she let some obvious deductions go. "I'd rate you lower for the mascara thing, but those colors look amazing on you."

Although she'd gotten the lowest score so far, Zyrene brushed it off because she'd also gotten one of the highest, a 9.9 from Hadley. The girls finally turned to Hadley, who'd already shown off her tunic, jeans, and ballet flats earlier that morning. Still, she spun in a circle once so the girls could admire the accessories - her chunky necklace, earrings, blazer, and headband - for a second time.

"I'll say 9.6," Cassandra told her. "Hadley, your style is definitely improving, but you're suffering from accessory overkill."

"9.7," Ash said. "Again, love those shoes, but do you really need the headband?"

Hadley took off the headband immediately. Then Regan continued with the ratings.

"9.6; it's cute, but that's too many trends for one outfit."

"Um..." Victoria was clearly deliberating between two possible scores. "I guess 9.5. I really like the earrings, but points off for the overkill, like Cass mentioned."

"9.4. Sorry, Hadley, but I'm really not feeling the necklace or the blazer..." Zyrene gave her friend a sad smile.

Hadley tried to smile, but it was difficult. She knew she'd received the lowest ratings, but they were definitely leaps and bounds from last year, when her highest possible score was a 6.9. Ashton's rating reassured her that she could improve her style. There was always tomorrow.

"Okay." Cassandra took charge once again. "Now that we've been rated - "

"And now that the LBRs have been able to photocopy our outfits to attempt to recreate them tomorrow," Regan snickered.

The girls giggled, but Cass continued firmly, looking over her shoulder at the guys heading in their direction. "Girls. We have ten seconds." She reached out both of her hands. "Hold."

Ashton and Regan grabbed onto the hands on either side of Cassandra. Victoria held Ashton's other hand. Zyrene grasped Regan's. And Hadley gave her hands to Vic and Zy to hold on to.

They formed a tighter circle. Cassandra began, "Over the past three years, we have dominated Briarwood Octavian Country Day School with our looks, popularity, style, and utter brilliance. And last year, we added Hadley to our circle of pure elite. In eight minutes, we will begin ninth grade. High school is different territory. We're on Talia Cross's turf now. But just remember, we are on the A-list. _We _were invited to Talia's four parties of the year. _We _have been able to rule over Tiffany Wright and every other LBR who walks in this courtyard. This year, it's more crucial than ever for us to stick together, no matter what rumors fly, no matter what drama ignites. Because we know there will be rumors and drama. They will try to tear us apart. But they'll fail. We'll still be, in the words of Zyrene, the most talented girls at Briarwood, the prettiest girls at Briarwood, the smartest girls at Briarwood, and the most popular girls at Briarwood. So let's show Raven St. Clair that we run things around here. Let's do this for the Pretty Committee. Let's do this for _us._"

"To the Pretty Committee," Ashton sounded off.

"To the Pretty Committee," the girls responded.

"To us," Regan said.

"To us."

The circle disbanded.

Cassandra turned around, facing the intimdating red brick buildings of BOCD, not for the first time. She faced everyone in the courtyard, regardless of social ranking. Then, her sea green-and-gold eyes caught the goregeous guys heading their way. "Now," she announced with a confident smirk, "Let's teach these guys a lesson in flirting."

"Why right now? School hasn't even started yet," Zyrene shot back innocently, playing along.

"There's nothing wrong with early studying," Cass said, grinning cheekily. "_You _taught me that, Zy."

* * *

**Okay, so that's the end of chapter one! It was kind of an introduction to the whole story. I hope it was okay in length!**

**I'd love some constructive critisicm and requests for the upcoming chapters, so review! I want to make sure I'm portraying these characters right.**

**Next chappie will be a continuation of this one, which will introduce you to the guys of the fic! And then you'll meet this mysterious new girl, Raven St. Clair, and a few other new characters ;) **

**Sorry for the wait! Review?**

**Marie xx**


	3. important, please read

**Hi everyone!**

**I'm so sorry for the Harry Potter-long wait for the next chapter. Some of you thought something had happened to me. c: But the good news is, I'm back, and if you're all still interested in my writing, there WILL be an update this week! :)**

**I've been so busy with dance, school, other websites etc, that I've neglected my reviewers here. :( Again I'm extremely sorry and I swear it won't happen again. It's been so long since my last log-in that all my saved info about your characters was deleted! So I'm just going to keep the first submission story on my profile so I can look at the reviews for info, as opposed to typing it all out again. xp**

**SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY! I feel like I can't say it enough! But let me know in a review if you still want this story to continue, and if that's the case a new chapter will be posted very soon :)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Marie xx**


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